NEW YORK: Jann Wenner, who co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and also was a co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from the hall's board of directors after making comments that were seen as disparaging toward black and female musicians.
The move came a day after Wenner's comments were published in a New York Times interview. Wenner created a firestorm doing publicity for his new book "The Masters," which features interviews with musicians Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townshend and U2's Bono - all white and male.
Asked why he didn't interview women or black musicians, Wenner responded: "It's not that they're inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni (Mitchell) was not a philosopher of rock 'n' roll. She didn't, in my mind, meet that test," he told the Times. "Of Black artists - you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as 'masters,' the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn't articulate at that level," Wenner said.
Late Saturday, Wenner apologised through his publisher, Little, Brown and Company, telling the Times: "In my interview with NYT I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius and impact of black and women artists and I apologise wholeheartedly for those remarks."
He added: "I totally understand the inflammatory nature and badly chosen words and deeply apologise and accept the consequences." Wenner co-founded Rolling Stone in 1967 and served as its editor or editorial director until 2019. He also co-founded the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which was launched in 1987.
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